This invention relates to a connector comprising a plurality of conductive contacts arranged in a coupling portion held by an insulator.
For example, an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 transmits and receives various kinds of signals. For input and output of these signals, the personal computer 10 is provided with a plurality of connectors 11, 12, and 13 different in shape and typically formed on its rear side.
The connector 11 is intended to be connected to a connector 15 of a docking station 14 or a connector 17 of a port replicator 16. Each of the connectors 12 and 13 is adapted to be connected to a connector 19 of a peripheral device 18 such as a CD (Compact Disk) drive and a DVD (Digital Video Disk) drive. The docking station 14 and the port replicator 16 have connectors 21 and 22, respectively, which can be connected to the connector 19 of the peripheral device 18.
Thus, the personal computer 10 is adapted to be connected to various types of peripheral devices. Therefore, the connectors 11, 12, and 13 are supplied with various kinds of signals. These signals are different in speed and include a so-called high-speed signal. As well known, a line for transmission and reception of the high-speed signal is typically provided with a shield.
However, the connectors 11, 12, and 13 of the personal computer 10 are not classified in accordance with the kinds of the signals supplied thereto. Therefore, each of the connector 11, 12, and 13 may be supplied with the various kinds of signals. In this case, wiring for the connectors 11, 12, and 13 is complicated and therefore difficult.
In case where personal computers manufactured by different manufacturers are selectively connected, connection to the common peripheral device or the common docking station may be defective even if connectors of a same kind are used in the personal computers. This is because pin assignment of the connector is often different for each manufacturer as known in the art.
Furthermore, if connection to a particular circuit block alone is desired, a special connector for the particular circuit block must be separately equipped in the personal computer. This requires the connector cost and the mounting cost for the special connector.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a connector in which a number of contacts are grouped into a plurality of groups in a manner adapted to handle various kinds of signals including high-speed signals.
It is another object of this invention to provide an information processing apparatus equipped with the above-mentioned connector.
Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to this invention, there is provided a connector comprising an insulator and a number of conductive contacts held by the insulator, the contacts being grouped into a plurality of contact groups corresponding to intended uses, respectively, and adjacent to one another in a first direction, the contacts in each contact group being arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the contact groups including a specific contact group which is located outermost in the first direction and assigned to high-speed signals.